Moreland hits two homers as Rangers beat Orioles
Mitch Moreland hit two of the Rangers' four home runs off Bud Norris, and Texas got another winning effort on the road from left-hander Wandy Rodriguez in an 8-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night.
Moreland hit a solo shot in the second inning and a two-run drive in the fourth. It was his sixth career two-homer game, the first since May 2013.
Carlos Corporan and Shin-Soo Choo added solo homers to help Texas secure its second win in nine games. The four home runs tied a season high, set April 9 in Oakland.
Joey Gallo contributed a three-run triple for the Rangers, who had lost 11 of 12 to the Orioles -- including six straight at Camden Yards.
The loss ended Baltimore's four-game winning streak and dropped the Orioles to 18-9 in June, 10-2 at home.
Rodriguez (5-3) allowed one run and eight hits, striking out seven and walking two in five-plus innings. He is 5-0 with a 2.23 ERA in eight road starts this year.
Norris (2-7) gave up five runs and nine hits in six innings. The four home runs he allowed matched a career high.
Texas wasted two singles in the first inning when Rougned Odor was picked off and Choo was caught stealing.
In the second, Moreland hit a liner to right that appeared to bounce high off the 25-foot scoreboard. Moreland was thrown out at second base, but a replay determined the drive to be a home run.
Corporan hit his third home run of the season in the third inning, and Moreland made it 4-0 in the fourth.
Choo connected leading off the fifth, the second of his three hits. He entered in a 1-for-17 slump.
Adam Jones singled home a run in the Baltimore half. But with the bases loaded, Rodriguez struck out Chris Davis and retired Delmon Young on a fly to right.
Gallo's first career triple, off Tommy Hunter with the bases loaded in the seventh, came after he struck out three times against Norris.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rangers: OF Josh Hamilton (hamstring) is expected to be activated from the disabled list on Tuesday. He was with the team Monday and declared himself "good to go." ... LHP Matt Harrison (spinal fusion surgery) starts Wednesday for Triple-A Round Rock.
Orioles: 2B Jonathan Schoop (knee) will come off the DL this week. He's ready now, but manager Buck Showalter wants him to "get more work under his belt."
UP NEXT
Rangers: RHP Colby Lewis, who is 1-4 with a 6.35 ERA against Baltimore, takes the mound in the second game of the series Tuesday night.
Orioles: Miguel Gonzalez (6-4, 3.58 ERA) looks to tie teammate Ubaldo Jimenez for most wins on the Baltimore pitching staff.
